1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to cleaning devices, and more particularly to a device for cleaning and extracting fluids from carpets and other surfaces.
2. Background Art
There are instances when it is desirable to immediately grab a brush, some cleaning fluid, and rags to attempt to remove a stain before it sets and ruins floor coverings or furnishings. One such instance occurs in households where pets, children, and other pedestrian traffic tracks dirt into the house and grinds it into the carpet. Another such instance is when a soft drink or other colored fluid spills on house carpet, upholstery, or the interior of a car. These and similar cases often result in small spot stains, or stains in tight corners, that are difficult or inconvenient to clean using a conventional carpet and surface cleaning machines.
In small-spill cases, a user typically uses a scrub brush to scrub the soiled surface. Because scrub brushes typically don""t spray cleaning fluid, and don""t suck up dirty fluid, a spray bottle of cleaning fluid and some paper towels to remove the dirty fluid may also be needed. A typical cleaning procedure involves applying the cleaning fluid (for example by spraying the soiled area of carpet to saturation), scrubbing with the brush, and then using a towel or other absorbent material to attempt to extract the fluid from the surface. In some cases a user may use a wet-dry vacuum cleaner to remove the liquid from the carpet. However, using a wet-dry vacuum cleaner adds another cumbersome and inconvenient item to the cleaning tools needed. Thus, the user may need a scrub brush, cleaning fluid spray bottle, and wet-dry vacuum cleaner just to remove a small stain.
Other methods of removing stains include renting or buying a bulky carpet-cleaning machine, contracting with a carpet and upholstery cleaning company, or engaging an automobile detailer (for stains in automobile carpeting or upholstery). Moreover, prior art cleaning machines require electrical power to operate.
Thus, there is need for a compact and inexpensive device for cleaning stains on carpets, upholstery and other surfaces and for extracting cleaning and other fluids from those surfaces.